Obion County

Obion County is located in the northwestern corner of Tennessee, within the Mississippi River’s Gulf Coastal Plain region and bordering Kentucky to the north. Established in 1823 and named for the Obion River, the county developed as part of the broader agricultural landscape of West Tennessee. It is a small county by population, with roughly 30,000 residents, and remains predominantly rural in character. Agriculture—especially row crops such as soybeans, corn, and cotton—has long been central to the local economy, alongside related agribusiness and manufacturing. The county’s landscape is generally flat to gently rolling, shaped by river bottomlands, wetlands, and fertile soils, and includes areas influenced by the Reelfoot Lake region to the southwest. Union City serves as the county seat and is the largest population center, providing government services and commercial activity for surrounding communities.

Obion County is in northwest Tennessee within the state’s Kentucky Lake/Reelfoot Lake region, bordering Kentucky and anchored by Union City. For local government and planning resources, visit the Obion County official website.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Obion County, Tennessee, the county had an estimated population of about 29,000 (2023).

Age & Gender

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Obion County, Tennessee:

• Age distribution (selected): shares are reported for major age bands (including under 18, 18–64, and 65 and over) on the county profile.
• Gender ratio: QuickFacts reports the female share of the population; the corresponding male share is the remainder.

Racial & Ethnic Composition

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Obion County, Tennessee, the county profile reports the population shares for:

• White (alone)
• Black or African American (alone)
• American Indian and Alaska Native (alone)
• Asian (alone)
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (alone)
• Two or more races
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race)

Household & Housing Data

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Obion County, Tennessee, the county profile includes:

• Number of households
• Average household size
• Owner-occupied housing rate
• Median value of owner-occupied housing units
• Median gross rent
• Total housing units

All figures above are provided on the county’s QuickFacts page (primarily from the American Community Survey and Census Bureau population estimates program, as indicated on the source page).

Obion County is a largely rural county in northwest Tennessee, where lower population density and longer last‑mile distances can constrain broadband buildout and, by extension, routine email access. Direct county-level email usage statistics are not generally published; broadband and device access are commonly used proxies for the capacity to use email.

Digital access indicators for Obion County (computer ownership and broadband subscription) are available via the U.S. Census Bureau’s data.census.gov (American Community Survey tables on “Computer and Internet Use”). These indicators approximate how many households can reliably access email at home, while not capturing mobile-only access or workplace/public access.

Age structure can influence email adoption because older age groups often show lower rates of online account use and password-based services. County age distribution is available through U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Obion County.

Gender distribution is typically near parity and is less predictive of email adoption than age and connectivity; county sex composition is also reported in QuickFacts.

Connectivity limitations are reflected in rural broadband availability measures reported by the FCC National Broadband Map.

Obion County is located in the northwest corner of Tennessee in the state’s “Weakley–Obion” area, bordering Kentucky and the Mississippi River alluvial plain to the west. The county is predominantly rural, with population concentrated in smaller municipalities such as Union City and South Fulton and large areas of agricultural land between towns. Low population density, flat-to-gently rolling terrain, and long distances between population clusters generally shape mobile network economics by increasing the per-subscriber cost of dense tower spacing, while the relatively flat topography can help radio propagation compared with mountainous parts of Tennessee.

Data scope and limitations (county-level vs provider-level)

Publicly available, county-specific statistics on mobile phone subscription/penetration and device type (smartphone vs basic phone) are limited. The most consistently available county-level sources describe:

• Network availability (carrier coverage and technology layers such as LTE/5G) from the FCC.
• Household internet adoption (broadly, not “mobile-only” vs “fixed-only” in a way that is always precise at county scale) from the U.S. Census Bureau survey products.

As a result, this overview clearly separates network availability (service can be obtained) from adoption (households and individuals actually subscribe and use it), and notes where Obion-specific figures are not published.

County context relevant to mobile connectivity

• Settlement pattern: A mix of small cities/towns and dispersed rural residences. This tends to produce stronger mobile coverage near municipal centers and major highways, with weaker performance risk in sparsely populated areas.
• Land use: Extensive agricultural acreage can reduce obstructions (beneficial for propagation) but does not create demand density for multiple sites.
• Regional connectivity: Proximity to the Reelfoot Lake region and the Mississippi River basin can include low-lying terrain and wooded/wetland pockets; these can locally affect signal quality through foliage attenuation and fewer nearby sites, but countywide outcomes are best assessed using FCC coverage layers rather than general terrain descriptions.

Network availability (coverage) vs household adoption (subscriptions)

Network availability indicators (FCC coverage layers)

Network availability refers to where carriers report offering service by technology (e.g., LTE, 5G). The most widely used public dataset for this is the FCC’s mobile broadband coverage data:

• The FCC provides carrier-reported mobile broadband coverage maps and datasets through its broadband mapping program, including mobile availability by technology generation (LTE/5G) and provider. See the FCC National Broadband Map and related FCC Broadband Data Collection program materials.

Important interpretation note: FCC mobile availability is largely based on provider-submitted propagation models and standardized reporting rules. It describes claimed service availability rather than measured performance at a specific address. Real-world experience (indoor coverage, congestion, and terrain/foliage effects) can differ, especially in rural areas.

Household adoption indicators (Census survey-based measures)

Adoption refers to whether households actually subscribe to internet service and what types they use. County-level internet subscription/adoption measures are typically derived from U.S. Census Bureau survey products:

• County profiles and selected “computer and internet use” measures can be found through the U.S. Census Bureau’s data.census.gov. These tables are survey-based and reflect household responses, not carrier network records.

Limitation for Obion County: Public tables often report broadband subscription at the household level (broadly) and may not isolate “mobile data plan only” at a level that is stable and reliable for every county without careful table selection and margin-of-error review. Where mobile-only reliance is needed, the underlying ACS detail tables must be used with attention to sampling uncertainty.

Mobile penetration or access (where available)

County-level “mobile penetration” (subscriptions per capita)

A direct “mobile phone penetration rate” for Obion County (such as subscriptions per 100 residents) is not consistently published in a county-resolved, public format by U.S. federal statistical agencies. Commercial datasets and carrier internal metrics exist but are not uniformly public.

Proxy indicators: household internet subscription and connectivity context

For county-level proxy indicators:

• Household internet subscription: The Census Bureau’s household subscription measures provide an indirect view of adoption. These can be accessed via data.census.gov (search for Obion County, TN and “Internet subscriptions” / “Computer and Internet Use” tables).
• Local planning/broadband context: Tennessee broadband planning resources sometimes summarize connectivity challenges and priorities at regional levels. Relevant statewide context is available from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) broadband program. These materials are typically oriented toward fixed broadband but can contextualize rural connectivity constraints that also affect mobile deployment.

Mobile internet usage patterns and technology layers (4G/LTE and 5G)

4G/LTE availability

Across rural West Tennessee counties, LTE is generally the baseline mobile broadband layer. For Obion County, technology-specific availability should be verified using FCC map layers by selecting “Mobile Broadband” and filtering by technology/provider in the FCC National Broadband Map.

Key characteristics of LTE usage in rural counties like Obion:

• LTE commonly provides the widest geographic footprint.
• Performance is sensitive to tower distance and sector loading; speeds can vary substantially between town centers, highway corridors, and remote roads.

5G availability (and variation by type)

The FCC map distinguishes 5G availability where reported, but “5G” is not a single performance class. In practice, rural 5G footprints often include:

• Low-band 5G (broader coverage, modest speed improvements over LTE).
• Mid-band 5G (higher capacity/speed, more limited reach).
• High-band/mmWave (very high speed, very limited range; typically concentrated in dense urban areas and unlikely to be widespread in rural counties).

County-specific 5G extent and provider differences are best assessed directly through:

• FCC National Broadband Map mobile layers (availability by technology/provider).

Limitation: Public sources generally do not provide county-level statistics describing the share of mobile users on 4G vs 5G; they primarily show where 5G is reported as available.

Common device types (smartphones vs other devices)

County-specific device-type distributions (smartphone vs feature phone, tablet-only, hotspot-only) are not typically published at the county level in federal datasets.

What is available at a county level is usually:

• Household “computer type” and internet subscription categories (which can include smartphones in some survey instruments, but the most comparable public outputs often focus on whether households have an internet subscription and the presence/type of computing devices). These are accessible through data.census.gov, noting that table definitions and categories vary by year and product.

General U.S. patterns show smartphones as the dominant personal mobile device, with hotspots and fixed wireless CPE used in some rural contexts, but Obion County–specific device composition requires either localized survey work or proprietary market research to state quantitatively.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage in Obion County

Rurality and distance to infrastructure

• Lower density: Rural households and farms often sit farther from towers, increasing the likelihood of weaker indoor signal and fewer capacity upgrades per square mile than in metropolitan counties.
• Highway and town-center bias: Service quality and technology upgrades often appear first along major routes and in municipal centers due to concentrated demand.

Income, age structure, and affordability dynamics (adoption-side influences)

• Adoption is not equivalent to availability: Even where LTE/5G is available, subscription rates and mobile data plan sizes can vary by household income and age distribution. County-specific adoption metrics should be taken from Census survey tables in data.census.gov, which report household internet subscription status and related measures with margins of error.

Cross-border and regional travel patterns

• Border location: Obion County’s adjacency to Kentucky and proximity to neighboring Tennessee counties can produce variable experiences where providers optimize coverage along cross-border corridors. Publicly verifiable evidence of this is best represented by provider-specific FCC coverage layers rather than anecdotal reporting.

Summary: what can be stated with high confidence from public sources

• Network availability: Carrier-reported LTE and 5G availability in Obion County can be evaluated at high geographic resolution using the FCC National Broadband Map, which distinguishes technology layers and providers.
• Adoption: Household-level internet subscription indicators for Obion County are available from the U.S. Census Bureau, but these are not a direct “mobile penetration rate,” and mobile-only reliance/device-type shares are not consistently published in a clean county-level summary without careful table selection and margin-of-error review.
• Usage and device mix: County-specific statistics on smartphone vs non-smartphone usage and the share of users on 4G vs 5G are generally not available in public county-resolved datasets; coverage availability can be mapped, but actual usage distributions require survey or proprietary data.

Obion County is in northwestern Tennessee in the Mississippi River “Bootheel” region, with Union City as the county seat and a predominantly small‑town/rural settlement pattern. The local economy and daily travel patterns are shaped by agriculture, manufacturing, and regional service centers, which generally correlates with heavier reliance on mobile connectivity and large, multi‑purpose social platforms for local news, community updates, and marketplace activity.

User statistics (penetration / active use)

• County-specific “% active on social media” figures are not published in a standardized way by major national survey programs; the most defensible approach is to use national and state-relevant benchmarks and apply them as context for a rural Tennessee county.
• U.S. adult social media use: About 69% of U.S. adults report using at least one social media site, according to Pew Research Center’s Social Media Fact Sheet.
• Internet access (a key constraint in rural areas): Rural adults are less likely than urban/suburban adults to report home broadband, and more likely to rely on smartphones for connectivity, per Pew Research Center’s Internet/Broadband Fact Sheet. This typically increases the importance of mobile-first platforms (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram) and short-form video consumption.

Age group trends (who uses social media most)

Based on national patterns reported by Pew Research Center:

• Highest overall usage: Ages 18–29 (the highest social media adoption across platforms).
• Strong usage: Ages 30–49 (high adoption, often concentrated on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram; family/community and utilitarian use cases).
• Moderate usage: Ages 50–64 (lower than under‑50 groups, with Facebook and YouTube typically leading).
• Lowest overall usage: Ages 65+ (still substantial on Facebook/YouTube but lower overall and lower multi-platform use than younger adults).

Gender breakdown

Nationally, gender differences tend to be platform-specific rather than “social media vs. none.” Per Pew Research Center:

• Women over-index on some socially oriented platforms (notably Pinterest and often Facebook in older cohorts).
• Men over-index on some discussion/video-heavy platforms (historically Reddit and YouTube usage intensity).
• Overall, both men and women show high adoption of major platforms; differences are most visible by platform and age.

Most-used platforms (percent using each platform, U.S. adults)

Pew’s latest platform shares (U.S. adults; rounded as reported in the fact sheet) provide the most reliable baseline for Obion County context:

• YouTube: ~83%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• TikTok: ~33%
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• X (formerly Twitter): ~22%
• Snapchat: ~27%
• WhatsApp: ~29%
  Source: Pew Research Center’s Social Media Fact Sheet.

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns and preferences)

• Community and local-information orientation: In rural counties, Facebook usage is commonly anchored in community groups, local events, school/sports updates, and peer-to-peer commerce (Marketplace-style activity). This aligns with Facebook’s broad age reach and utility-focused features documented in platform adoption research summarized by Pew Research Center.
• Video as a primary format: YouTube’s very high penetration makes it a dominant channel for how-to content, entertainment, and local/regional information, especially where mobile access substitutes for fixed broadband. Rural connectivity constraints and smartphone reliance are consistent with patterns described in Pew’s Internet/Broadband research.
• Age-structured platform preference:
  • 18–29: heavier multi-platform use, higher short-form video adoption (TikTok/Instagram), higher likelihood of frequent daily checking.
  • 30–49: mixed use; Facebook and YouTube remain central, with Instagram and TikTok more common among younger adults in this band.
  • 50+: more concentrated on Facebook and YouTube, with comparatively lower adoption of newer or niche platforms.
• Engagement tends to be “bursty” around local moments: Severe weather, school announcements, civic updates, and local sports often drive spikes in posting, sharing, and comment activity in county-based Facebook groups and local pages; routine engagement otherwise centers on passive browsing and video viewing (a common pattern in U.S. social use reported across national surveys).

Data note: Platform percentages above are national adult estimates from Pew Research Center; county-level penetration and platform shares for Obion County are not regularly published by Pew or the U.S. Census. The rural internet access patterns referenced are important contextual constraints when interpreting likely usage in Obion County.

Obion County family and associate-related public records include vital records, court filings, and property documents. Birth and death certificates for Obion County events are Tennessee vital records maintained at the state level by the Tennessee Department of Health, Office of Vital Records; certified copies are requested through the state’s vital records services and, for eligible requesters, through county health departments. Marriage records are generally handled through the county clerk and may be available for search through county or state systems. Adoption records are created through court proceedings and are typically sealed under Tennessee law, with access restricted to authorized parties and processes.

Public databases for “associates” often derive from court and land records rather than a dedicated “associate” registry. Court case information for Tennessee is commonly accessed via the state judiciary’s online portal: Tennessee Courts: Online Court Records. Recorded deeds, liens, and related instruments are maintained by the Obion County Register of Deeds; access is provided in person and may include online search options: Obion County Register of Deeds. County-level offices and contact points are listed at the official county website: Obion County, Tennessee (Official Site).

Privacy restrictions commonly apply to certified vital records, sealed adoption files, and certain juvenile or sensitive court matters; public inspection and copying rules vary by record type and governing statute.

Types of records available

• Marriage licenses and marriage records
  • Tennessee marriages are licensed at the county level. In Obion County, marriage licenses are issued by the Obion County Clerk and recorded in county marriage records.
• Divorce records (decrees/final judgments and case files)
  • Divorces are handled as civil court cases. The final decree/judgment and related filings are maintained in the court record.
• Annulment records
  • Annulments are also court actions. Orders granting an annulment and related pleadings are maintained with the court case record.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

• Obion County Clerk (marriage licensing/recording)
  • Custodian for marriage license records created in Obion County.
  • Access is generally provided through the County Clerk’s office for certified and non-certified copies, subject to office procedures and identification requirements for certified copies.
  • Obion County Clerk information is available via the county’s site: https://www.obioncountytn.gov/
• Obion County Circuit Court Clerk / Chancery Court Clerk (divorce and annulment case records)
  • Custodian for divorce and annulment case files and final decrees, depending on the court in which the case was filed.
  • Records are accessed through the appropriate court clerk’s office by requesting copies of the decree and, where available, other filings in the case.
• Tennessee Office of Vital Records (state-level indexes/certified certificates for certain events)
  • Tennessee maintains statewide vital records services. Tennessee historically issued certified divorce certificates for divorces/annulments within certain date ranges (separate from the court decree), and maintains statewide vital records services for marriage and other events.
  • Tennessee Vital Records: https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/vital-records.html

Typical information included in these records

• Marriage license/record
  • Full names of the parties
  • Date and place of issuance and/or marriage
  • Ages or dates of birth (varies by time period and form)
  • Residences and places of birth (often included historically)
  • Officiant name/title and return/solemnization details
  • Clerk recording information (book/page or instrument/reference details in county records)
• Divorce decree/final judgment
  • Names of the parties and case docket/cause number
  • Date the decree was entered and the court/judge
  • Legal findings and orders, often including:
    • Dissolution of the marriage
    • Restoration of a former name (when ordered)
    • Custody/parenting plan determinations (may be referenced)
    • Child support and/or alimony orders
    • Division of marital property and debts
• Annulment order
  • Names of the parties and case docket/cause number
  • Court and date of the order
  • Legal basis for annulment and disposition orders (may address property, custody, or support where applicable)

Privacy or legal restrictions

• Marriage records
  • Generally treated as public records at the county level, with access administered by the County Clerk. Certified copies typically require compliance with the clerk’s certification procedures.
• Divorce and annulment court records
  • Court case files and decrees are generally public, but portions may be restricted by law or court order.
  • Sealed records (by judicial order) and confidential filings are not publicly accessible.
  • Information involving minors, certain financial account details, and other sensitive identifiers may be protected by court rules, redaction requirements, and privacy statutes.
• State vital records restrictions
  • Certified vital records issued by the state are subject to Tennessee Vital Records eligibility rules and identity verification requirements, particularly for more recent records.

Obion County is in northwestern Tennessee along the Kentucky border, part of the “Reelfoot Lake” region and anchored by Union City (the county seat) and several smaller towns and rural communities. The county’s settlement pattern is a mix of small-town neighborhoods and agricultural/rural residential areas, with many households tied to local public-sector services, manufacturing/logistics work, and regional commuting within West Tennessee and adjacent Kentucky.

Education Indicators

Public schools (count and names)

Obion County’s public K–12 system is operated by Obion County Schools (county district) and Union City Schools (separate municipal district). A consolidated, current list of individual school names is most reliably maintained by the districts rather than a single statewide static list; district directories are available via the Tennessee Department of Education district information and report resources (which also link to district sites) at the Tennessee Department of Education.
Proxy note: A precise “number of public schools” and complete school-name list varies slightly by year due to grade reconfigurations and program locations; the districts’ current directories are the authoritative source.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

• Student–teacher ratios: Reported ratios are published in district/school profiles through Tennessee’s accountability/reporting tools and commonly fall in the mid-teens per teacher for West Tennessee districts; Obion County is generally consistent with that regional pattern.
  Proxy note: A single countywide ratio is not always published as one figure across two districts; school-level ratios are typically the most current metric.
• Graduation rates: Tennessee’s official high school graduation rates are reported annually through the state’s accountability releases and district report cards. Obion County’s rates are best referenced via the state’s district and school report-card reporting (see TN DOE link above).
  Proxy note: Because Obion County includes two districts, graduation rates are reported by district and by high school rather than one unified county rate.

Adult educational attainment

Adult educational attainment is reported through the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). The most recent 5-year ACS profiles (county-level) provide:

• High school diploma or higher (age 25+): County-level percent available via data.census.gov (ACS 5-year).
• Bachelor’s degree or higher (age 25+): County-level percent available via data.census.gov (ACS 5-year).
  Proxy note: In rural West Tennessee counties, the share with a bachelor’s degree or higher is typically below the U.S. average; Obion County’s current percentages should be taken from the latest ACS 5‑year table for consistency and sample reliability.

Notable programs (STEM, CTE, AP)

• Career and Technical Education (CTE): Tennessee public high schools commonly offer CTE pathways aligned to state programs of study (advanced manufacturing, health science, agriculture, information technology, etc.), and Obion County’s high schools participate in these statewide frameworks. Tennessee’s CTE structure and pathways are outlined by the Tennessee Department of Education CTE office.
• Advanced Placement (AP) / dual enrollment: AP offerings and dual-enrollment participation are typically reported at the high school level in state report cards; course availability varies by school size and staffing.
• STEM and work-based learning: STEM activities and work-based learning are often embedded through CTE, science course sequences, and partnerships; the most concrete indicators are course rosters, CTE concentrator counts, and credentials reported in district/school accountability files (TN DOE).

Safety measures and counseling resources

Tennessee districts follow state requirements and guidance for safety planning (threat assessment practices, emergency operations planning, drills) and student support services. Publicly documented district resources commonly include:

• School counseling services (academic planning, social-emotional support, referrals)
• School resource officer (SRO) presence or coordination with local law enforcement (varies by school)
• Required drills and safety plans aligned to state guidance
  State-level school safety information is maintained through Tennessee’s education and safety initiatives (see TN DOE and Tennessee state resources; district sites typically publish the most current local protocols).
  Proxy note: Specific staffing levels for counselors and SRO coverage are school-specific and best confirmed in district safety/counseling pages and board policy documents.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent available)

The most current official county unemployment figures are published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) and/or the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The latest annual and monthly series for Obion County are accessible via BLS LAUS.
Proxy note: County unemployment rates fluctuate seasonally and with local plant-level changes; citing the most recent annual average from LAUS is the standard approach.

Major industries and employment sectors

Obion County’s employment base reflects a typical rural West Tennessee mix:

• Manufacturing (notably food/consumer goods and related production where present)
• Health care and social assistance
• Retail trade
• Educational services and public administration
• Transportation/warehousing and logistics (regional distribution and freight corridors)
• Agriculture and agribusiness (important to the local economy, though not always dominant in wage-and-salary counts)

The most current sector shares (employment by NAICS industry) are available through county “profile” tools and ACS workforce tables at data.census.gov and state labor market dashboards.

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Common occupational groups in Obion County typically include:

• Production occupations
• Office and administrative support
• Sales and related
• Transportation and material moving
• Healthcare support and practitioners
• Education/training/library (public school system) Occupational distribution (SOC major groups) is reported in ACS “occupation” tables via data.census.gov.
  Proxy note: Occupational detail becomes more reliable using ACS 5‑year estimates for a rural county.

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

• Mean travel time to work: Reported in ACS commuting tables (county of residence), accessible via data.census.gov.
• Typical pattern: A substantial share of workers commute within the county to Union City and nearby towns for schools, health care, retail, and manufacturing; another share commutes to adjacent counties in West Tennessee and into nearby Kentucky employment centers.
  Proxy note: In rural counties, mean commutes commonly fall in the 20–30 minute range; Obion County’s current mean is published in the latest ACS 5‑year.

Local employment vs. out-of-county work

ACS “place of work” and “commuting (county-to-county flows)” products provide the best measure of:

• Workers living and working in Obion County
• Outbound commuters to other counties
• Inbound commuters from surrounding counties
  County-to-county commuting flows are available through Census commuting products and can be accessed via Census commuting resources (with datasets linked through Census tools).
  Proxy note: Obion County generally shows a mixed pattern—meaningful local employment in Union City plus cross-county commuting due to the limited number of large employers typical of rural labor markets.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership rate and rental share

Homeownership and rental shares are reported in ACS housing tenure tables at data.census.gov.
Proxy note: Rural Tennessee counties typically have higher homeownership rates than the U.S. average, with rentals concentrated in town centers and near major employers.

Median property values and recent trends

• Median value of owner-occupied housing units: Published in ACS (5‑year) for Obion County via data.census.gov.
• Trend context: Like much of Tennessee, values rose substantially during 2020–2022, with slower growth in many rural markets afterward; Obion County’s trend is best validated using multi-year ACS comparisons and local assessor sales ratios rather than national home-price indices (which may not capture sparse rural transactions).
  Proxy note: For rural counties, ACS median value is the standard “most comparable” time series, but it updates annually as a rolling estimate.

Typical rent prices

• Median gross rent: Reported in ACS for Obion County via data.census.gov.
  Proxy note: Rental stock is often limited outside Union City and other towns, with more single-family rentals and small multifamily properties than large apartment complexes.

Types of housing

Obion County housing is predominantly:

• Single-family detached homes (in-town and rural)
• Manufactured homes (more common in rural areas)
• Small multifamily buildings and limited apartment complexes (mostly in/near Union City and other municipal areas)
• Rural lots and farm-adjacent residences, with larger parcels outside town limits
  Housing structure type shares are available in ACS “units in structure” tables via data.census.gov.

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools/amenities)

• Union City and town centers: More walkable access to schools, parks, clinics, and retail corridors; higher concentration of rentals and smaller-lot homes.
• Unincorporated/rural areas: Greater distance to schools and services, larger parcels, and higher reliance on personal vehicles for commuting and errands.
  Proxy note: Specific proximity metrics (e.g., average distance to a school) are not standard in ACS; neighborhood characterization is based on the county’s typical rural/town land-use pattern and where schools and services are concentrated.

Property tax overview (rate and typical homeowner cost)

Property taxes in Tennessee are administered locally and depend on:

• Assessed value rules (Tennessee assesses residential property at 25% of appraised value)
• Local tax rates set by county and, where applicable, city governments
• Municipal overlap (city + county taxes for homes inside city limits)
  For Obion County, the most accurate current tax rate schedules are published by the county trustee/assessor and municipal finance offices; Tennessee’s assessment framework is summarized by the Tennessee Comptroller property tax guidance.
  Proxy note: A single “average homeowner tax bill” is not uniform countywide because rates vary by municipality and appraisals vary widely; the most defensible proxy is to combine the applicable local rate with the home’s appraised value using the state assessment ratio (25%) to estimate a typical annual bill for a median-value owner-occupied home (median value from ACS).